University of Virginia Library

CHURCHES AND CHURCHMEN

THE EPISCOPALIANS

In the Legislative Journals of the Council of Colonial Virginia,
Volume III, page 1279, it is recorded that at a session of the Council
held on April 3, 1762, there was presented:

"A message from the House of Burgesses by Mr. Pendleton
that they had passed a Bill entitled, An Act to Impower the Vestries
of the Parishes of Drysdale in the counties of Caroline and King
and Queen, and of St. Stephen in said county of King and Queen
to sell their glebes and lay out the money in purchasing more
convenient glebes, to which they desired the concurrence of the
Council. The Bill was read the first time, and ordered to be
read a second and third time immediately. The said Bill was
accordingly read and second and third time. Resolved, that the
Bill do pass."

The Parish of Drysdale, referred to in this Bill, was established
in 1723 and named for Lieutenant Governor Hugh Drysdale.
It was originally a long, ill-shaped parish, extending from Spotsylvania
county on the north, to very nearly the central part of
King William on the south. It was divided in February, 1780,
as follows:

"By a line to begin at the lower corner of the land of John
Page, Esq., upon the Mattaponi river, and run along his lower
line, and those of Christopher Smith, Anthony Seale, and

Frederick Phillips, to the corner of the lands of Edmund Pendleton,
the elder, Esq., and Edmund Jones; thence along the lines between
them to Morococick creek; thence up the creek to the mouth of
Phillips run; thence up the said run to Digges upper line; thence
along that line and the course thereof continued to the line of
Essex county; and all that part of the said parish which lies to the
eastward of the said line, shall be one distinct parish, and retain
the name of Drysdale; and all that other part thereof shall be
one other distinct parish, and shall be called and known by the
name of St. Asaph."—Hening's Statutes at Large, Volume X,
page 209.

This parish—St. Asaph—was the last parish erected by the
General Assembly in Virginia before the disestablishment.

The first churches built in these parishes, like the first homes,
were rude and unpretentious structures, but these were replaced
by substantial and attractive buildings, and later still by large
and massive brick structures, such as may still be seen in many
sections of eastern Virginia. Several massive brick church-houses
were erected in Caroline before the Revolution—but they have all
been destroyed, and only the bare sites of two or three are now to
be found. Near Rappahannock Academy post office may be seen
the beautiful site of old Mount church, which was one of the
largest and most beautiful churches in Virginia in that day, and
which contained a fine organ imported from England, an unusual
thing in Virginia at that time. Just when Mount church was
erected, or what churches preceded it cannot be definitely
ascertained, but it is quite certain that it was one of the first,
if not the first church established in St. Mary's Parish and it was
undoubtedly intended to serve the whole of St. Mary's since it
stood near the center of the parish. After the Revolutionary
War, with the social, political and religious revolution which
followed it, Mount church fell into disuse and was afterward
appropriated by the State and given over to school purposes,
becoming the Rappahannock Academy.

W. W. Scott, in his History of Orange County, Virginia, says:

"One of the first effects of the `freedom of worship' and the
practical confiscation of the glebes and church properties was, that
the people's consciences became very `free' also to do as they
pleased with the church belongings. * * *  Churches were
actually and literally destroyed, the very bricks carried off and
the altar pieces torn from the altar and attached to pieces of

household furniture. * * *  Communion plate came to be regarded
as common property. * * *  Nor did the despoilers
overlook the churchyards when the work of destruction began.
Tombstones were broken down and carried off to be appropriated
to unhallowed uses. * * *  The slab which marked the grave
of the Rev. Mungo Marshall was taken away and used first to
grind paints upon, and afterward in a tannery on which to dress
hides."

Dr. J. B. Baylor says: "With the rise of Jefferson and his party
and the disestablishment of the Episcopal church, many of the
old Colonial houses of worship were desecrated, or confiscated
by the State; many beautiful marble monuments in the church
yards were wrecked; glebes were confiscated; and many pious
ministers were driven out of their homes."

From the Rev. L. E. Goodwin, Historiographer of the Diocese
of Virginia, we learn that the first minister of record in St. Mary's
Parish was the Rev. Owen Jones who came over from England
and served the church from 1704 to 1724 and was succeeded by
the Rev. Musgrave Dawson and the Rev. Jonathan Boucher,
respectively. The latter, we are told, was a very brilliant man
and a close personal friend of George Washington, who intrusted
him with the education of his stepson, young Custis. With the
approach of the Revolution he proved himself such a staunch
Tory that he was banished from the country. On returning to
England he published a pamphlet which discredited the ability
of his friend, General Washington, but later atoned for this slight
by dedicating to Washington a volume of his Sermons which he
had preached in Caroline. Washington gracefully acknowledged
the dedication and they remained warm personal friends and
equally warm political enemies. The Rev. Abner Waugh succeeded
the Rev. Mr. Boucher in St. Mary's Parish and remained
in this charge until his death in 1806.

There were two large brick churches in St. Margaret's Parish;
Reedy church, situated not very far from the present site of
Edmund Pendleton High School and Bull church, or St.
Margaret's, a few miles west of Penola. A magisterial district
of the county bears the name of the old Reedy church. Both of
these old churches have long since disappeared, but the sites may
still be found. The Rev. Francis Fontaine was rector of this
parish before the formation of Caroline county and the Rev.
John Brunskill, Sr., and the Rev. Archibald Dick, served the

parish from 1748 to very nearly the end of the century. When the
old St. Margaret's church was destroyed an unpretentious frame
building was erected near Ruther Glen to take its place. In
addition to the three clergymen above named, St. Margaret's
has been served in succession by the Rev. Messrs. H. C. Boggs,
William Friend, C. J. Good, L. H. Johns, W. N. Ward, D. M.
Wharton, W. W. Greene, W. B. Williams, J. K. M. Lee and
Morris Eagle. St. Margaret's Parish was established in 1720
and originally lay partly in King William and partly in Caroline,
but it was divided in 1744 and all below the Caroline county line
was made a part of St. David's Parish, King William, while all
that lay in Caroline remained as St. Margaret's.

James B. Wood, Superintendent of the Virginia State Penitentiary,
once wrote the author concerning Bull church in the
following words:

"My father, Col. Fleming Wood bought the old home place
of his father, which was one mile from the church. At the time
of his death my grandfather, Robert Wood, was a lay reader in
the church and had been from my earliest recollection. My
mother's father, Bailey Tompkins, lived three miles from the
church. He was a member of the vestry. I do not recollect
him. The first rector I recollect was Rev. Dabney Wharton,
who preached at St. Margarets on the third Sunday of each
month. He had other churches and lived near Spotsylvania
Courthouse fourteen miles from the church. He was a large
portly man, but had a throat affection that kept him from filling
his appointments at times and those were the times that my
grandfather Wood conducted the services. In those days besides
my two grandfathers' families, the following families were members
of the church. John V. Kean, Samuel Amery Swan, George
Tompkins, Curtis W. Durrett, Frank Tompkins, Thomas Goodwyn,
William B. Harris, Edmund Tompkins, Mrs. Lucy Temple,
Mrs. Judy Swan, James L. Ball and Cyrus Carson. There were
probably others that I do not recall. Just before the Civil War
Mr. Wharton left and Rev. William Green from Fredericksburg
became pastor. During my early boyhood days Bishop Meade
visited the church, next was Bishop Johns and then later Bishop
Whittle. All three visited my home.

"The old church was in the shape of an `L,' the bottom of the
`L' was not used and was left to go to ruin when I first recollect
the church. Some said it was the newest part of the church.

It had the figures 1755 in the brick over the door. It was said
the workmen who built this addition lived on bull meat during
the time of construction and that they named it Bull church.
The skull and horns of the bull were placed in the fork of one of the
large oaks in the church yard and in time the oak grew over them.
The points of the horns could just be seen in 1858, I having seen
them myself."

Drysdale Parish, as before stated was formed in 1723 and
contained one large church, known as Joy Creek, situated on the
eastern side of the county. This parish was served by the Rev.
Messrs. Robert Innis, Andrew Moreton and Samuel Shield respectively,
from about 1750 to 1780, when the parish was divided
and Rev. Mr. Shield became the first rector of the new parish of
St. Asaph. He was succeeded in Drysdale Parish by the Rev.
Jesse Carter.

St. Mary's Parish was established prior to the year 1700 and
as before stated was served from 1704 to 1806 by the Rev. Messrs.
Jones, Dawson, Boucher and Waugh. After the confiscation of
Mount church by the State at the close of the Revolution, St.
Mary's Parish declined, but was revived through the heroic
labors of the Rev. J. P. McGuire, of Essex. Grace church at
Corbin was built in 1833 and St. Peter's church at Port Royal
about 1835. In 1835 the Rev. William Friend removed from
St. Margaret's to Port Royal and was rector of St. Mary's Parish
until his death in 1870.

The Rev. Mr. Friend was succeeded in St. Mary's by the
Rev. James E. Poindexter who resigned in 1888 and was succeeded
by the Rev. S. S. Ware who served the parish until 1918; so for
eighty-three years St. Mary's parish was served by three rectors.
The Rev. Messrs. J. K. M. Lee and Morris Eagle have served the
parish since 1918. The county of Caroline has given several of
her sons to the ministry of the Gospel in the Episcopal church,
among them the Rev. George Fitzhugh, of Spotsylvania, the
Rev. Austin Mitchell, of West Virginia, the Rev. J. J. Gravatt,
Rector of Holy Trinity church, Richmond, Va., and the Rt.
Rev. Wm. Loyall Gravatt, Bishop of West Virginia. The latter
two are sons of St. Peter's church, Port Royal.

St. Asaph's Parish was formed from Drysdale in 1780 and the
parish church which was built before the division of Drysdale was
situated a short distance north of the town of Bowling Green.
The Rev. Samuel Sheild, one of the most prominent clergymen

in Virginia in his day, retired from the pastorate of Drysdale
Parish to become the first rector of St. Asaph's. He afterward
removed to York county and was succeeded in St. Asaph's by the
Rev. Messrs. James Taylor and George Speirin. A commodious
brick church was erected in Bowling Green about 1832, but St.
Asaph's parish becoming too weak to support a minister, the members
usually attended St. Margaret's. After the war between the
States the church house in Bowling Green was sold to the Methodist
church by consent of the Bishop of the Diocese and since that time
services have been held, with some degree of regularity in a hall
or chapel, chiefly by the rector of St. Mary's.

The parish registers and the record books of the vestries of the
parishes of Caroline have been lost. Had they been preserved
we should have a list of the families of the county for nearly a
century and many other valuable historical incidents besides.
Other records have preserved the names of many of the families
of first rank who, before and after the Revolution, were Episcopalians.
To name but a few, they include the Thorntons, Baylors,
Pages, Pendletons, Woodfords, Woolfolks, Battailes Taliaferros,
Taylors, Corbins, Fitzhughs, Tompkins, Temples, Minors, Fontaines,
Hoomes, Robbs, Washingtons, Bernards, Buckners,
Upshaws, Colemans, Wyatts, Clarks and others of equal standing.

THE METHODISTS

The Rev. D. G. C. Butts, who spent over one-half century
in the Methodist itineracy and whose first service as a Methodist
minister was in Caroline county, writes in his autobiography as
follows:

"The fathers who laid the foundations of Methodism in
Caroline, laid them broad and deep and strong. Notwithstanding
the Baptists had been in the county for years before the pioneers
of Methodism arrived and had their congregations comfortably
housed in commodious brick buildings at central points, yet these
early circuit riders succeeded in reaching some of the finest
material in all that region, and brought into the Methodist fold
as fine a band of converts, socially, intellectually and spiritually
as could be found anywhere in the commonwealth of Virginia.
Swann, Hancock, DeJarnette, Waller, Wright, Smith, Carneal,
Stern, Doggett, Jarrell, Burruss, Catlett, Chandler and Broaddus
and a host of others, were names which stood for a high grade of
intellectuality, incorruptible morality and social prestige, which

under the lead of Methodist teaching now took first place in the
county for spiritual power and devotion. "The Church of the
Regenerate Heart," as Dr. Gilbert C. Kelly aptly calls our
Methodism, had none who more consistently and beautifully
illustrated the worth of experimental religion than the men and
women from the families above named."

The Rev. Samuel Wesley Day, a grandson of the late Rev.
Luther Wright, of Caroline, contributes the following information
relative to the planting of Methodism in the county:

"In the latter part of the eighteenth century the Methodists
were holding a camp meeting at Fork church (Episcopal) in
Hanover county. A number of people from Caroline attended,
among the number being William Wright, who became so much
interested in the way the Methodists conducted the meetings that
he invited them to visit Caroline county and to hold meetings
in his house.

"The invitation was accepted and the Rev. Charles Hopkins
was sent over to hold the meetings. When these meetings closed
William Wright offered his house for a regular meeting place for
the Methodists, thus turning his own home into a Methodist
chapel or meeting house as it was then called.

"This arrangement continued for a number of years and then
William Wright gave an acre of ground and built upon it, at his
own expense, a small chapel or meeting house. That was the
first Methodist meeting house in Caroline county. Thus the
Methodists of Caroline can look back at "Wright's Chapel"
and exclaim: "She is the mother of us all!"

"What is more remarkable is that William Wright, through
all these years was not a member of the church, but united with
the church on his deathbed and received the sacrament of the
Lord's Supper. Caroline Circuit in 1870 was composed of seven
appointments as follows: Rehoboth, Wright's Chapel, Bowling
Green, Hopewell, St. Paul's, Vernon and Shiloh. The people
had preaching twice monthly."

Rev. John G. Rowe served the Caroline circuit as pastor three
terms of several years each. It is related that when he came
back to the circuit for the third time he preached his opening
sermon from the first verse of the thirteenth chapter of Second
Corinthians: "This is the third time I am coming to you, etc."

Rev. E. H. Rowe, well-known educator and son of Rev. John
G. Rowe, records it as "a dim recollection" that he heard his

father say that the first Woman's Foreign Missionary Society
ever organized in Methodism was in St. Paul's church on Caroline
Circuit. This church has a long established custom of setting
apart every fifth Sunday for special services under the auspices
of this Woman's Foreign Missionary Society.

At a session of the Virginia Sunday School Association held
in Bowling Green in 1921 the author heard the Rev. Andrew
Broaddus, D. D., remark that "The Methodist church in Bowling
Green has more wealth than any other church in Caroline;"
to which Rev. E. H. Rowe replied, "I hope that it may be as
truly said that our church is equally rich in faith and good works."
And it may be stated as a matter of impartial history that Mr.
Rowe's hope has not only been realized in the Bowling Green
church, of which he is member, but in the world at large, for
Methodism has had a salutary effect wherever it has gone.

David Lloyd George, when Prime Minister of Great Britain,
said: "I personally cannot boast of being a Methodist (the
Prime Minister was originally a member of the Disciple church
and afterward a Baptist), but I have this qualification
to speak to Methodists: I come from the country (Wales)
that owes more to Methodism than to any other movement
in its history * * *  Like the Reformation the indirect
influence of the Wesleyan movement was even greater, if possible,
than its direct influence * * *  It revived every religious
community in the Anglo Saxon world * * *  It put new blood
into the veins of the older communions * * *  Therefore one
can imagine that its influence has been not only on the British
Empire and America, but on the destiny of the whole world."

The then Prime Minister of Great Britain further said, in this
London address, that "John Wesley was unquestionably the
greatest religious leader the Anglo-Saxon race ever produced.
His spirit, working through the movement he inaugurated, gripped
the soul of England, deepened her spiritual instincts and trained
and uplifted them with the result that when a great appeal is
made to England there is always a generous response."

Woodrow Wilson, in his admirable monograph on John Wesley,
makes an appraisal of Wesley's influence on the Anglo-Saxon race
very similar to that given by Lloyd George. Thus from the
strong and the great, as well as from an unnumbered host of the
meek and lowly, come overwhelming testimonies of the potent
and salutary influence of John Wesley and the child of his flaming
spirit, the Methodist Episcopal communion.

The Richmond Christian Advocate of April 12, 1894 contains
an article written by Mrs. Rachael Wright Jerrell, then eighty-four
years of age, which is in part as follows:

"My grandfather Wright, who was an Episcopalian, heard
that the Methodists were preaching in Hanover county, Va.,
and resolved that he would go and hear them. He heard
them and was so much pleased that he invited them to Caroline
to preach at his house. They accepted his invitation and came
over. So the first Methodist sermon preached in Caroline was
preached in his house in 1774. That house still stands, about a
quarter of a mile from Wright's Chapel and about nine miles
west of Bowling Green. My father, William Wright, was nine
years of age at that time and the house was used as a regular
preaching place until 1835. My grandfather died and my father
fell heir to the old house. Before father died he said a chapel
must be built; so he donated the land and started the subscription
with ten dollars. The chapel was built and named Wright's
Chapel after him. This Chapel was replaced by the present
building a few years ago. Quarterly meetings were held at my
father's and also protracted meetings. At the latter there were
great revivals and many conversions. At one of these meetings
there were two conversions; one young lady named Rachael
Harris laughed incessantly and seemed unable to restrain
herself ("then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue
with singing," Psalm 126:2); the other was Josiah Carneal, now
eighty-three years old and preaching in Kentucky. * * * 
At another protracted meeting held in my father's house as late
as 1825, by Peyton and Wilkerson, who then traveled the circuit,
there was a great revival and among the large number of conversions
were five of my father's children: Annie (Mrs. Haley),
Jane (Mrs. Anderson), Rebecca (Mrs. Parr), Wesley (Dr. Wright),
and myself, Rachael Jerrell. All these except me have "passed
over the river." "They died in the faith." On one occasion a
regular service was continued from 11:00 A. M. until 4:00 P. M.
There was a great outpouring of the Spirit and a great many
souls were converted. In those days the preachers preached
every day. Rest day came sometimes once in three weeks.

"I can remember when Jacob Hill preached at my father's.
I remember also that John Wesley White preached his first
sermon there. His text was, "Prepare to Meet Thy God."
But he did not get through. He lost his subject and went

upstairs and wept. Stephen W. Jones also preached his
first sermon there and William Rowzie preached his first sermon
there. Peyton and Wilkerson traveled the circuit in
1825 and 1826 and preached at father's. Skidmore was Presiding
Elder and had a collection of hymns called "Skidmore's
Collection." I acted as agent for him and sold his hymn books
and a number of other books on Baptism. In 1828 there was a
camp meeting on this circuit not more than three miles from
where I now live. My father had a tent there and I with a sister,
and quite a number of other friends, started in the night for the
camp and reached there just at daybreak. Sykes and Wood
traveled the circuit that year. One spring afforded abundance
of water for man and beast. It was there I saw and heard the
famous colored preacher, David Payne. I also heard him sing
"The Old Ship of Zion." I was then seventeen years of age
and took great delight in this meeting.

"Nearby the old Wright home is the Wright burying ground
and in it sleep the remains of three preachers of the name—my
brother Luther, my brother Durrett, who died in his thirty-fifth
year, and who was said to have been an eloquent preacher. The
third one died much younger and was my father's great grandson,
James Wright, son of James D. Wright, of this county. He was
a Baptist preacher, but preached his first sermon in St. Paul's
church in Caroline."

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

In the year 1908 a number of Slovaks removed from the
States of New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Caroline county, Va.,
and settled around the villages of Guinea, Woodford and Milford.
These first families proved to be the vanguard of a considerable
colony. Being an energetic and industrious people and naturally
inclined to agricultural pursuits they soon brought the abandoned
and supposedly worn-out farms on which they settled to a high
state of cultivation; thus adding materially to the economic life
of the county.

When the colony was of sufficient strength a meeting was held
for the purpose of devising ways and means of securing the
establishment of a church of their faith (Roman Catholic) near
Woodford, the central point of the settlement. A petition was
presented to Rt. Rev. D. J. O'Connell, Bishop of Richmond,

requesting his aid and co-operation in the building of a church,
which petition met with an encouraging response.

The Rev. J. M. Perrig, resident pastor of St. Mary's church,
Fredericksburg, was secured to visit the colony semi-monthly
and so faithfully did he discharge the duties of his office that in
the year 1913, a beautiful chapel was erected near Woodford
and dedicated in honor of the "Annunication of Mary the Mother
of our Saviour." Present at the consecration were Bishop
O'Connell, and many of the clergy and laity from Richmond and
Fredericksburg.

Shortly after the consecration of the chapel Rev. Mr. Perrig
died, beloved and respected by all who knew him, and was succeeded
in the Caroline county parish by Rev. William Jan, of Richmond,
and later by Rev. Thomas B. Martin, the successor of Rev. Mr.
Perrig at St. Mary's church, Fredericksburg.

In 1918, Rev. John F. Kociela was appointed resident pastor
of the Chapel of the Annunication and soon after entering upon
his duties, a rectory was erected for him opposite the chapel,
which he now occupies. Being a gentleman of genial manner and
unfailing courtesy he has the respect of all who know him and
under his administration the church prospers.

On July 6, 1924, the Rt. Rev. D. J. O'Connell consecrated
Sts. Cyril and Metlodious Catholic church at Welch, Caroline
county, and also confirmed a class of thirty-five children and
adults. The Rev. Mr. Kociela, pastor, assisted with the ceremonies
and celebrated the mass.

THE PRESBYTERIANS

The first record of the Presbyterian church in Caroline county
is given in the Manual of East Hanover Presbytery, in which is
recorded the fact that as early as 1855, an organization was effected
at Bowling Green and the congregation so formed called the
Caroline Presbyterian church.

No definite information of this congregation can be found in
the Minutes of the East Hanover Presbytery of that year, nor
of the year 1885, at which time the church first appears on the
minutes of the General Assembly; but such a congregation did
exist and was ministered to, in part at least, by the Rev. Dr. James
Power Smith, who for many years was pastor of the Presbyterian
church at Fredericksburg.

This work which for some reason was abandoned was revived
in 1909 by an evangelist of the Synod of Virginia, who conducted
a series of meetings and inaugurated a movement to secure a lot
at Milford and to erect a chapel thereon. This movement was
successful. A lot was secured and a building erected immediately
following the meetings.

A commission of the East Hanover Presbytery met in the
new church building on March 7, 1909 and re-organized the
church, changing the name from the Caroline Presbyterian
church to Milford Presbyterian church and dedicating the new
building.

Since that time the congregation has been served by ministers
from Richmond and Fredericksburg and by students from Union
Theological Seminary at Richmond.

THE DISCIPLES

About the close of the eighteenth century the Reverend
Thomas Campbell, a Presbyterian minister came from Scotland
to America and located in Pennsylvania, where he became pastor
of a parish covering a large and sparsely settled territory. The
people were neglected in spiritual ministrations and Mr. Campbell
determined to be a shepherd of all regardless of creed or party.
Accordingly he administered the Lord's Supper to all Christians,
in consequence of which a charge of irregularity was brought
resulting in his retirement from the Presbyterian fold. Mr.
Campbell then issued his famous "Declaration and Address,"
which has been called "America's Declaration of Religious Independence"
and with his son, Alexander, who had come over from
Glasgow University, set about to "restore Primitive apostolic
Christianity in its doctrines, ordinances and its fruits." For a
time they worked in and through the Baptist Church, but finding
their views were not welcomed here any more than they had been
in the Presbyterian fold they withdrew and decided to continue
their restoration movement independently of all organized
religious bodies.

While still a member of the Baptist Church, Alexander
Campbell made a tour of eastern Virginia which brought him
into Caroline county. Here he met the Reverend Andrew
Broaddus—a man of highly cultivated intellect and liberal spirit.
Mr. Broaddus had sent a communication for the Christian Baptist,
which Mr. Campbell was then publishing at Bethany, Va., (now

West Virginia) in which he expressed his approval of Mr. Campbell's
views of the Christian religion as a dispensation and also
of his views on the two Covenants—Law and Grace. In regard
to the Christian Baptist, Mr. Broaddus wrote: "I find much in
it to approve and much to admire and some things from which
I must dissent. I am greatly pleased with your aim to clear the
religion of Jesus of all the adventitious lumber with which it
has been encumbered and to bring back the Christian Church
to its primitive simplicity and beauty."

This letter elegantly written and breathing the utmost Christian
courtesy and candour was commented on by Mr. Campbell, who
said that there had not appeared in the Christian Baptist a letter
"more evangelical in scope; more clear and luminous in its object;
more exceptional in its style; or more perfect in its body, soul and
spirit." The correspondence between Mr. Campbell and Mr.
Broaddus appears at length in the Memoirs of Alexander Campbell
by Robert Richardson and for the most part breathe an exceptional
spirit, coming as it does from an age in which religious discussions
were generally acrimonious. Mr. Campbell's views were sometimes
expressed harshly and it was of this mainly that Mr. Broaddus
complained, and justly. In his zeal to purge the church of those
things which he regarded as divisive and evil Mr. Campbell
frequently wrote harsh things which caused the Christian Baptist
to be regarded in many quarters as a bitter-spirited paper.

In eastern Virginia Mr. Campbell's discussions with Dr. Andrew
Broaddus and Bishop Semple had excited much interest among
Baptists. Prominent among these were Thomas M. Henley, of
Essex; Dr. John DuVal, of King and Queen; Peter Ainslie I, M. W.
Webber, John Richards and Dudley Atkinson.

It was not the idea or purpose of Campbell, Stone, Scott
or those adhering to their views, to establish another religious
organization, but rather it was their purpose to work out their
proposed reforms within the then existing religious bodies, even
as John Wesley proposed to work out certain reforms in the
Church of England. Finding the same opposition with which
Wesley met, Campbell and his adherents decided that these
reforms could be wrought out more quickly through the organization
of those of like belief, by which a greater impact could be
made on the mind of the Christian world.

Accordingly a number of organizations were formed in Eastern
Virginia in the early years of the nineteenth century and in some
instances Baptist churches came over bodily into this restoration

movement. These bands of Christians were not known by any
one name and were not intended to make a party. Frequently
they were known as Christians only; sometimes as Christian
Baptists, by which name they are now frequently called in southwestern
Virginia. Sometimes they banded themselves together
as a "gospel church." They were often called "Campbellites"
by their opponents, but owing to the improvement in courtesy
over the days of Luther and Wesley the name did not stick and
one only hears it now in those remote sections where preachers
wear long whiskers and celluloid collars. The name by which
this communion, embracing over one and one-half million souls,
is now known, is Disciples of Christ.

The first of these organizations in Caroline county was effected
about 1826, near the place now called Penola and the organization
was known as Emmaus church. Many prominent men and
women held membership during the first half century of its
existence, among whom may be named: H. H George, L. M.
George, Ellen W. George, M. M. George, Luther Wright, Susan
Wright, Burton B. Wright, Marius H. Wright, Dr. Charles Wright,
Francis E. Wright, Betty Sutton, Robert C. Sutton, O. W. Sutton,
Clayton Sutton, John H. Ware, Mary Z. Ware, Dr. Philip Dew,
P. Samuel, Jr., L. J. Baker, L. M. G. Baker, Charles C. Blanton,
Richard Blanton, Mary J. Blanton, Isla S. Blanton, Alphonso
Blanton, Nannie Blanton, John T. Blanton, Tazewell Blanton,
Charles Blanton, Archibald Blanton, George G. Blanton, John
J. Blanton, John T. Blanton, Sally Burke, Thomas Buke, Belle
G. Burke, Emmett Collins, Catherine Collins, Eugenia Collins,
Emuella Collins, E. E. Collins, George R. Collins, E. B. Coleman,
James L. Coleman, J. G. Coleman, E. D. Coleman, Louisa
Chiles, Richard H. Chiles, J. A. Chisholm, James Chapman,
Henrietta Campbell, George Cobb, Cornelia Cobb, A. E. Camp,
George Camp, Nannie B. Coghill, Cecil L. Baker, James Jesse,
E. J. Lumpkin, Paul T. Samuel, Rachael T. Terrell, Garland
Taylor, Waller Shepherd, Columbia Trice, John Sutton, Robert
Terrell, Emma Snow, Ida Samuel, A. G. Samuel, Susan W. Cox,
George O. Luck, William Hutcheson, J. W. Hutcheson, Lee
Hutcheson, Lucy Richerson, Mildred Beazley, C. A. H. Goodwin,
Frances Saunders, S. C. Goodwin, A. N. McChesney, Fanny
Peatross, Lucy A. Saunders, Eva Saunders, Sally Campbell,
James F. Campbell, R. S. Hargrave, Louisa Turner and G. W.
Blanton.

Antioch Church (Disciples) in Bowling Green, Showing Residence of the Hon. A. B. Chandler

The second organization in Caroline, known as Antioch church,
was formed near Bowling Green on January 1, 1832. On this
day "Hill Jones, Thomas Jones, Clayton Coleman, Charles B.
Tennent, Angelina Woolfolk, Elizabeth P. Woolfolk, Mary Jones,
Ellen Taliaferro and Ellen Maury, who upon a profession of their
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ have been baptized into His name,
met at the house of Mrs. Jane Jones for the purpose of associating
themselves together in a church capacity." At this meeting it was
"Resolved, That the above named persons, considering it our duty
to God and believing it will tend to the mutual edification of each
other, have agreed and do hereby agree and bind ourselves as a
Gospel church, to live together as brothers and sister in the
Lord, to love each other and as far as in us lyeth, to do and
perform all the duties required of us as Disciples of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Resolved, further, That discarding all human
opinions, such as creeds and confessions of faith, we look upon the
Scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments to be equally of
divine authority, but as the Old Testament was the rule and guide
of the Jewish Church before Christ, so we regard the New Testament
as being the sole and only guide of the Christian Church
and that we bind ourselves to each other and to God, that through
His strength we will make it our only directory in all matters of
Faith and Practice."

The first house of worship of Antioch was located two miles
south of Bowling Green, was constructed of wood and destroyed
by fire. The second house was built of brick on the same site
and was subsequently sold upon the removal of the church to
Bowling Green. It was converted into a handsome dwelling
house and is now owned and occupied by Mr. Melville Broaddus.
The third dwelling at Bowling Green was destroyed by fire on
February 21, 1886, and the fourth building, a splendid house roofed
with slate, was burned in the spring of 1892. A fifth building was
erected on the same site and was struck by lightning and burned
on June 9, 1917. A sixth building, more modest than all the
others save the first, was erected and dedicated in 1920. J. T. T.
Hundley, President of Lynchburg College, delivered the dedicatory
sermon and the pastor, Marshall Wingfield, performed the ceremony
of dedication.

Alexander Campbell visited Antioch church first in 1838. He
came from Bethany, Va., by way of Baltimore and Washington,
D. C., accompanied by his daughter, Lavinia, and Joseph Henley.

From Baltimore and Fredericksburg he was accompanied by
William Carman, a member of the church in Baltimore. From
Fredericksburg to Caroline Mr. Campbell sat with Bishop Meade
in the stage coach and records in his journal that he was much
pleased with the Bishop's good nature and liberal views. Mr.
Campbell further records in his diary that "R. L. Coleman met
us at Fredericksburg and continued with us the whole time in
Virginia, much to our gratification and comfort. We found our
brethren, Bagby, of Louisa, and Henshall, of Richmond, waiting
for our arrival at our old friend Woolfolk's in Caroline. We met
our much esteemed brethren, Henley, DuVal and Pendleton with
many others at Antioch church. At Newtown, King and Queen
county, we had a very pleasing visit with our old friend, Andrew
Broaddus. He attended our meeting and favored us with
friendly conversation on incidental topics. He enjoys good
health, but like most men in the environs of seventy, is evidently
descending the hill of life. It would be a consummation devoutly
to be wished could he, before he passes the Jordan of Time,
induce his brethren to rescind their `Orders in Council,' and
to open their ears to a candid consideration of the points at
issue between them and us. It would do no harm to move
forward a few paces toward the primitive simplicity of the Gospel
and to the practice of the ancient institutions of Christ. They
would not have to give up any truth in admitting all we contend
for, as many of them now concede. We only ask for a renunciation
of human traditions and wherever they are found they ought
to be abandoned."

Mr. Campbell visited Charlottesville in 1840 and while there
met Dr. Chester Bullard, of southwestern Virginia, who had
journeyed thence to see him and whom Mr. Campbell found in
complete agreement with his views. In his notice of the Charlottesville
visit Mr. Campbell made an allusion to the "Dover
Decrees" and a friendly reference to Andrew Broaddus, which
elicited from the latter a kindly communication (see page 476,
Volume II, Memoirs), stating that "I have seen in the `Harbinger'
(successor to Christian Baptist) for several years past much to
approve and I have met with nothing for which my fellowship
in the Gospel would be forfeited. I cannot say the same for
some things which you have put forth in former times. I regret,
my dear sir, that you should be separated from us and much would
I rejoice in seeing your talents enlisted in the one great Cause.

That the Church needs a progressive reformation, I have no
doubt, and to all efforts for this object on a scriptural basis I
would say `God-speed.' "

To this kindly and fraternal letter Mr. Campbell replied,
reciprocating the good feelings Mr. Broaddus had expressed and
disclaimed any desire or intention of forming a new party. Mr.
Campbell also stated that in his opinion the "Beaver Decrees"
of 1829 "were occasion by some violent movements on the part
of our brethren in the Western Reserve, Ohio, in the height of a
great excitement." He also added that "The Dover Decrees
and similar acts of exclusion and proscription from other quarters,
probably had their rise in the indiscretions and unguarded expressions
of our over-zealous brethren."

Mr. Campbell visited Antioch church a second time during
his tour of May, 1853, in the interest of Bethany College and a
third time in the fall of 1855. During this latter visit he also
preached at Corinth church in King William, Smyrna in King
and Queen, Acquinton in King William, Rappahannock in Essex,
and addressed the Athenaeum Literary Society of Richmond.
After another trip to Caroline he returned to Richmond, where he
was called on by Doctors Burroughs, Jeter, Ryland and Gwathmey,
with all of whom he had pleasant visits. From Richmond he
went to Washington where he visited his son-in-law, Dr. J. J.
Barclay, who having returned from his missionary labors in
Jerusalem was preparing his book, "The City of the Great King."

Many of Mr. Campbell's warmest personal friends were
members of Antioch church and of these he names in his journals
Pichegru Woolfolk, Jourdan Woolfolk, Elizabeth Woolfolk, William
G. Maury, Daniel C. DeJarnette, Francis V. Sutton, Ann H.
Maury, Mildred Crump, Joseph Jesse, John Hampton DeJarnette,
George Tyler (father of Governor Tyler), Benjamin Anderson,
H. T. Anderson, James Taylor White and Elizabeth Coleman.

Mr. A. B. Chandler writing of Antioch church in the Chesapeake
Christian (Richmond) of April, 1920, says:

"Fifty-two years ago when I became a member of Antioch
church, Brother Benjamin Anderson was the leading and teaching
elder. A large, portly gentleman, a gentleman—`intus et in
cute'—learned in Biblical lore, coming from Guiney's to church,
ten miles, every Sunday morning and rarely failing to be present,
never when energy was equal to the task. The courtliest of the
courtly and yet absolutely frank and sincere, with no superfluous

embellishments. Well do I remember when shortly after I
joined the church he came to me, then just twenty-six years old
and insisted that I should lead the congregation in prayer and
how I rebelled and finally, after many entreaties, consented and
wrote out and read my first public prayer. He thereafter insisted
that I should take his place as elder, as he was growing old,
which I tried to do. Dr. Anderson was a grand old man. He
never forgot the patriarchs and whether in prayer or in the
blessing of the emblems at the Communion table, he always
concluded by asking that we all might finally be gathered with
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in our Father's Kingdom. I do not
propose to recall in sequence the men and women of the older
Antioch church, because memory fails me in accuracy of time.
I mention, however, secondly, Brother John Taliaferro, one of
our most enthusiastic and fervid elders, a man of firm convictions,
to whom every thing he saw at all was "clear and unmistakable"—
a phrase he never failed to use in his exposition of the scriptures
in the Sunday school class and in the morning worship which
he frequently conducted. Next, I recall Brother John Hampton
DeJarnette, who was never especially active in Church work in
any official capacity, but his constancy and fidelity to the church
and his unfailing attendance were greatly to be admired. Another
staunch member of Antioch was Deacon John Woolfolk, a name
most honored and venerable, one of the most sociable and agreeable
of men, as impervious to blandishments as steel, a man who
had the courage of his convictions and who never wavered in his
friendships. With Brother Woolfolk stood another deacon, W. R.
W. Garrett, a man of a great, warm heart who had the love and
confidence of every member of the congregation. Brother Woolfolk
was tall and Brother Garrett was short in statue and the
contrast between them as they distributed the emblems was
marked. No truer man to his friends, neighbors and mankind
ever lived.

"Another light in the watch tower was Elder Thomas W.
Valentine, clerk of our circuit court for a great number of years.
He was an elder of our church and superintendent of our Sunday
school until called home by the Master. Brother Valentine was
always at his post of duty on Sunday and always rendered an
acceptable service to the church. He was as honest as the days
were long and one of the most honorable of men. And while
Brother Anderson never lost his desire for association with

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Brother Valentine in his prayers never
forgot the warm and pathetic appeal of David in the fifty-first
Psalm, `Create within me a clean heart and renew a right spirit
within me.'

"There was no man with a larger heart or who walked nearer
to God than Elder John Dratt. He came to us from the other
side of the Mason and Dixon line, but was a sincere friend of his
adopted people. Mr. Robert Hudgin, our County Clerk, could
not take the `Test Oath' in order to hold his office after the
Civil War and Brother Dratt qualified as Clerk and let Mr.
Hudgin hold the office and receive all the emoluments of the
same. Where shall we find a purer unselfishness? He was always
present at our church services and we greatly loved him.

"Deacon George Boulware was another faithful member of
Antioch and although he had to ride horseback or drive in ten
miles or more he was rarely absent.

"And now the last of our brethren of a former day that I
shall specifically recall, but by no means the least, is Brother
George Tyler, father of Governor Hoge Tyler, and a prince among
men. Of all our members during these fifty odd years of my
service in the church he was the most cultured. His vision was
broad, his erudition profound, his judgments liberal and charitable.
He could discuss the Bible or the tariff with equal lucidity and
hold his end of the discussion in either. He was Chesterfieldian
in manners and always gave a cordial grasp of the hand while
his heart overflowed with love for all men.

"And now I turn to the companion page of the book and speak
of our women, whose souls were so beautiful that they could not
fail to cast a rare fragrance along any path they trod. They
adorned any circle they entered and drew one to them not only
by the charms of their personality, but also by their Christian
life and conversation and by their unceasing good works. Let
me call the roll of these immortelles: Sisters Saunders, Robert
Hudgin, James Ennis, Pitman, Bettie Roper, Lucy Woolfolk,
Fenella White, Fannie White, Ellen Downing, Sallie Sutton and
Sister Valentine. This coterie of women in my judgment have
never been excelled."

Mr. Campbell's admiration for Bishop Semple was no less
than that for Dr. Broaddus. He tells us in his journal, of preaching
in Upper Essex church on which occasion the venerable Mr.
Semple came to hear him. They spent the evening together in

the home of Thomas M. Henley and after prayer and praise
reposed that night upon the same bed. The following morning
after Mr. Campbell had baptized a young disciple from King
William, they parted with mutual good wishes.

"What I admired most of all," wrote Mr. Campbell, "was
the good temper and Christian courtesy of this venerable disciple
* * *  who did not lose sight of the meekness and mildness,
the candor and complaisance which the religion of Jesus teaches
and without which, though a man's head were as clear as an
angel's intellect, his religion is vain."

The fact that the Disciples have not been aggressive in
Caroline in recent years may be explained by the very genius
of the movement, which holds it as fundamental that no organization
should be established where others are already standing for
the faith set forth by the pioneers of the movement. No better
statement of this faith may be found than that given to a lady
inquirer by the martyred President, James A. Garfield, a lifelong
member and for some time a preacher in the Disciple fold.
His statement was as follows:

(1) We call ourselves Disciples or Christians.

(2) We believe in God the Father.

(3) We believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living
God and our Savior. We regard the divinity of Christ as the
fundamental truth of the Christian system.

(4) We believe in the Holy Spirit, both as to his agency in
conversion and as a dweller in the heart of the Christian.

(5) We accept the Old and New Testaments as the inspired
word of God.

(6) We believe in the future reward of the righteous and the
future punishment of the wicked.

(7) We believe that Deity is a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering
God.

(8) We observe the institution of the Lord's Supper on every
Lord's Day. To this table we neither invite nor debar. We
say it is the Lord's table for all the Lord's children.

(9) We plead for the unity of God's people.

(10) The Bible is our only discipline.

(11) We maintain that all ordinances should be observed as
they were in the days of the Apostles.

Among the pastors who have served Antioch church may be
named: J. G. Parrish, who is buried in the church yard;

Robert C. Cave, John L. Brandt, I. J. Spencer, Peter Ainslie, II,
Landon A. Cutler, C. S. Ehlers, Preston A. Cave, Richard
Bagby, W. M. Forrest, F. A. Hodge, C. M. Kreidler, D. E.
Motley and Marshall Wingfield.

HOPEWELL CHURCH (DISCIPLES)

On September 30, 1876, B. C. Burnett, Sr., Pan Burnett,
B. C. Burnett, Jr., Angelina Burnett, Mignonette Burnette,
John J. Blanton, Sarah E. Diggs, Ellen Ophelia Diggs, Josie
Lumpkin, Sallie Lumpkin, Archibald Blanton, John T. Blanton,
Ann Blanton, Sallie Haley, Ada Burruss, Ann Marmaduke,
Hause Marmaduke, Willie Marmaduke, Richard Marmaduke,
George Marmaduke, Mary Marmaduke and Atwill Cannon,
members of Emmas church, petitioned their mother church for
authority to band themselves together as a separate and distinct
congregation and to meet for worship in Hopewell meeting-house.
The petition was granted and the petitioners became the charter
members. The charter members added to their number rapidly
and was soon a thriving congregation with a regular pastor.
After more than twenty-five years of service the congregation
fell on evil days, owing to the burning of their house of worship
and removals and so disbanded. For names of other acquisitions
from Emmas church see Emmaus Church Records, Volume 18641888
in possession of Mr. L. D. George, Penola, Va. Athens, the
location of this church, was originally Athey.

LEBANON CHURCH (DISCIPLES)

Lebanon church was established in 1840. The Rev. Albert
R. Flippo gave one acre of land on which the house was erected
with the provision that if the land should cease to be used for
religious purposes it would revert to his estate.

Dr. Joseph A. Chandler, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas K. Chandler,
Mr. William Chandler, Mrs. George B. Washington, Dr. William
Seaman and Miss Sammie Williams were members of this church
and out of this congregation came two ministers of the Gospel—
namely, Rev. Albert R. Flippo and Rev. Hervey J. Seaman, of
whom see elsewhere in this volume.

Many eminent ministers of the Disciples communion preached
in Lebanon church, among them Rev. Messrs. Peter Ainslie,
Anderson, Dangerfield, DuVal, Henley, Abell, Cutler and Pendleton.

The congregation on the death of the above named members

began to decline and about the year 1900 ceased to meet altogether.
The house was subsequently used for about three years by a
religious body known as "Apostolics," under the leadership of
Mr. M. T. Beasley, agent of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and
Potomac Railroad at Woodford. After this the building was
taken for a school-house and is used for school purposes to this
day.

BITHYNIA CHURCH (DISCIPLES)

Bithynia Christian church (Disciples) was established near
Guinea, Caroline county, about 1868 by several of the members
of Lebanon church who lived in the vicinity of Guinea. These
members continued to hold membership with the Lebanon church,
but conducted Sunday school at Bithynia and had ministers come
and preach at every opportunity, with the hope of establishing
a strong congregation there in the course of the years. Among those
who led in this work were Dr. Joseph A. Chandler, M. D., father
of J. A. C. Chandler, President of the College of William and
Mary, and of the late Campbell Chandler, whom he named for
Alexander Campbell; Mr. and Mrs. Thomas K. Chandler, parents
of Boyd D. Chandler, of Spotsylvania, and of Mrs. J. E. Warren,
of Newport News; Mr. William Chandler, Dr. William Seaman
and Mrs. Mildred Chandler Washington, wife of George B.
Washington and mother of Messrs. Henry, Thomas and John
Washington, who are well known in Caroline at this day (1923).
On the death and removal of the founders of this congregation
interest waned and after about thirty or forty years of existence
the property was sold to the colored people and is now used by
them, under the name of First Baptist church, as a place of worship.

REV. ALBERT R. FLIPPO

Rev. Albert R. Flippo, a minister of the Christian Church
(Disciples), was born in Caroline county near a place now called
Welch in the year 1816. During his active ministry he served
at various periods Zion, Slash, Independence and Ground Squirrel
churches in Hanover county; Enon church in Louisa county and
Corinth church in King William county. He was ordained in
Lebanon church in Caroline. He married Miss Susan Key Burruss.
Having no children of their own Rev. Mr. Flippo and his wife
adopted a niece of Mrs. Flippo's—Miss "Sammie" Williams—
whom they brought up as tenderly as if she had been their own

daughter. Miss "Sammie" taught school in Caroline for nearly
half century and many eminent men and women came up through
her school room. Rev. Mr. Flippo died in 1888, having been
terribly afflicted during his last years.

REV. HERVEY J. SEAMAN

The subject of this sketch was the second of three sons of
the late Dr. William Seaman, of "Medway," near Welch, in
Caroline county. He was born March 21, 1859, and when
quite young attended a school taught by Miss Sammie
Williams, of Welch. He later attended an academy at Dunnsville,
Essex county conducted by Prof. Hundley, father of J. T. T.
Hundley, present head of Lynchburg College. From Hundley's
Academy Mr. Seaman went to Richmond College, thence to
Transylvania University at Lexington, Ky. At the Bible College
of the last named institution he studied for the ministry of the
Gospel in the Disciples Church. After graduation and ordination
he served the churches in Martinsville, Va., Danville, Va., Charlottesville,
Va., Ronceverte, W. Va., and also churches in the
States of California, Washington and Kentucky. Mr. Seaman
married Miss Lucy Walters, of Charlottesville, Va., and had
issue: Forest, who married Howard Wester, lawyer; Geraldine,
who married J. Jaeger, of New York State, and Stacy, who
married a lady from Kentucky. The Rev. Mr. Seaman has
lived in Charlottesville for the last quarter of a century where he
is highly esteemed. His brothers, J. P. and C. H. Seaman,
live in Caroline, where they are highly respected and useful
citizens.

THE OLD QUAKER CHURCH AT GOLANSVILLE

S. B. Weeks, in Southern Quakers and Slavery, states that the
Golansville or Caroline Meeting was established in 1739 and
discontinued in 1853. On page 211 it is recorded that, "At a
Monthly Meeting held in Caroline county, Virginia, on eighth
day of the fifth month, 1773, by a report from Camp Creek
Preparative it appears the Friends of that Meeting are desirous
there should be prohibition of Friends hiring negroes; believing
that practice to be attended with the same covetous disposition
as the purchasing of them." Weeks, on page 106, names Joseph
Hoggatt, Stringman, Nathan Stanley, Robert, John and William
Johnson as members of the Caroline Monthly Meeting who have
removed to North Carolina.

In Our Quaker Friends of Ye Olden Time, published by J. P.
Bell Book Co., appear the names of several members of the
Caroline Meeting, but little or none of the history of the same.
All of the old books and records of this old Caroline Meeting
are in the possession of Mr. John C. Thomas, 1333 Bolton street,
Baltimore, Md.

THE BAPTISTS

The people called Baptists were well established in Caroline
within the first half century of the county's existence. There
is no definite record of the first preaching in the county by
Baptists, but it is certain that ministers of this faith preached in
the county prior to 1760. In the Clerk's office of the county
may be seen court records of the imprisonment of several Baptist
ministers, one of which reads as follows:

Monument to Imprisoned Baptist Preachers at Bowling Green

"July Court MDCCLXXI, 1771

"Bartholomew Chewning, James Goodrich and Edward
Herndon being brought before the court for teaching and preaching
the Gospel, without having Episcopal ordination, or a license
from the General Court: Ordered, that they be remanded back to

gaol of this county, & there remain till they give security, each
in the sum of twenty pounds & two securities each in the sum of
two pounds, for their good behaviour twelve months and a daye."

Records of similar charges and punishments are found in the
same book against John Burruss, John Young and Lewis Craig,
and upon one occasion Patrick Henry came to Caroline to defend
the liberties of these ministers when they were charged with
preaching without the proper authority.

At the present time there are sixteen white Baptist churches
in Caroline with a membership of approximately four thousand,
and nearly a score of colored churches with a membership equally
as large as that of the white churches. It is conservative to say
that the membership of the white Baptist churches will out-num-ber
the combined membership of all other denominations in the
county. Following are sketches of nearly all of the Baptist
churches in the county:

BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH

Bethel church, which is located about five miles west of Bowling
Green, was organized in the year 1800. Rev. Andrew Broaddus
I, was the first pastor, and Messrs. Charles Woolfolk and Thomas
Jones were the first deacons.

In the minutes of Goshen Association of 1802, as preserved
in Semple's History of Baptists in Virginia, it is recorded that
Bethel church had, by a majority vote, passed a resolution compelling
each member to contribute to the expenses of the congregation
according to their ability, under the penalty of the displeasure
of the church. This rule offended many members of Bethel and
also several churches in the Association. The question was put
before the Association as to the attitude of that body toward
such a ruling and the following reply was given: "We do not
approbate the method of raising money by assessments, upon the
principle of its not being sanctioned by New Testament examples
and the general principles of the Baptists and because of the
unhappy consequences which may result from such a practice."
Thus was demonstarated, over a century ago, the loyalty of the
Baptists to the spirit of the New Testament and to principles of
individual liberty. They knew full well that where the love of
Christ does not constrain the ruling of a congregation cannot
compel.

This church has been unusually peaceful and prosperous.
Among the pastors who have served Bethel in the last century
may be mentioned the following: The Rev. Messrs. Andrew
Broaddus I, Spilsby Woolfolk, H. W. Montague, James D.
Coleman, R. H. W. Buckner, A. B. Dunaway, C. W. Trainham,
James T. Eubank, James Long, J. W. McCown, C. R. Cruickshank
and S. B. Overton. Among the deacons of the past fifty years
may be named J. B. Washington, S. G. Coghill, W. A. Woolfolk,
P. A. Gravatt, J. C. Chandler, Robert Woolfolk, E. S. Coghill and
T. C. Thomas.

MT. HERMON BAPTIST CHURCH

Mt. Hermon Baptist church had its origin in a Union Sunday
school organized June 11, 1869, by C. A. Shuman, of Mt. Horeb
Baptist church and Mrs. Martha Sirles, of Shiloh Methodist
church. On the 11th of the following October there were 61
students, and officers and teachers as follows: C. A. Shuman,
Mrs. C. A. Shuman, W. S. Cecil, W. S. Moore, A. Judson Blanton,
J. H. Covington, Mrs. Martha Sirles, Mrs. Emeline Blanton,
Mrs. L. J. Vaughan, Miss Lelia Page, T. W. Green and T. G.
Burke.

In November of the same year a series of meetings were held
by the Rev. Messrs. J. W. Hart and N. Short, during which W. P.
Sirles, James Vaughan, Lucy J. Vaughan and Lucy Pavy became
members of the church. Thomas R. Dew, of King and Queen
county gave one acre of land to the new congregation in 1870,
which was cleared of the pine growth, leaving the young oak
shrubs to grow into the present beautiful shade trees. In 1871
26 united with the church during a meeting held by the Rev.
Messrs. Hart, Short and Broaddus. The church was formally
organized in 1872 with 14 male and 13 female members from
Mt. Horeb and 1 male and 9 female members from Providence,
making a total of 37 members. Dr. Andrew Broaddus preached
the organization sermon.

The origin of the name of Mt. Hermon is interesting. A
colored congregation had been organized nearby and a committee
from the same called on Mr. C. A. Shuman for a name for their
new church. Mr. Shuman read to them Psalm 89:12, "The
North and South thou hast created them; Tabor and Hermon shall
rejoice in thy name." Then he said, "You can take Mt. Tabor

or Mt. Hermon, as you may prefer, and we will take the name
you leave for our church which we now call Mt. Horeb Mission."
Thus the names of the two congregations were fixed at once.
The Mt. Hermon Baptist Association is named for this church.

Mt. Hermon church has been served by the following ministers:
Rev. Messrs. J. W. Hart, 1872; I. T. Wallace, 1877-78; W. T.
Derieux, J. R. Land, Alexander H. Sands, Howard Montague,
James Mitchell, S. U. Grimsley, 1879; P. J. M. Osborne, 1884;
Rev. J. R. Moffett, 1887; J. T. Lynch, 1888; J. J. Wicker, H. H.
Street, F. E. Beale, E. E. Northern, Jacob Sallade, 1895; Andrew
Broaddus II, 1896; H. T. Musselman, J. F. Billingsley, George
M. Donahoe and W. D. Bremner, 1921-24.

CARMEL BAPTIST CHURCH

Carmel church, situated about twelve miles southwest of
Bowling Green, "was planted by S. Harris and J. Reed" in 1773.
The first name of the church was Polecat, so called from its
proximity to Polecat Creek. This name was changed to Burruss's
church, in honor of Rev. John Burruss, the first pastor. Upon the
erection of a new house of worship in 1838, on the present site, a
new church constitution was adopted opening with these words:
"This church is called and shall be known by the name of Burruss's
Baptist Church of Christ at Mt. Carmel." The house erected in
1838 was burned in 1874. During the interval between these dates
the name Mt. Carmel gradually took precedence over Burruss's
and Mt. Carmel was finally adopted as the name. Later the "Mt."
was dropped by a formal vote and Carmel became the name of
the congregation.

Among the families represented in the church during the first
century of its existence may be named the following: Adams,
Anderson, Allen, Abrams, Atkins, Acres, Brown, Burruss, Butzner,
Boxley, Bibb, Broaddus, Butler, Blunt, Chiles, Cleere, Carter,
Coleman, Chandler, Cobb, Carneal, Cannon, Davenport, Day,
Dickenson, Dunn, DeJarnette, Estes, Enroughty, England,
Flippo, Fletcher, Fox, Flagg, Gatewood, Goland, Goulding,
Goodwin, Hewlett, Harris, Hargrave, Hackett, Holloway, Isbell,
Kelly, Knote, Long, Luck, Middlebrook, Mills, Malone, McLaughlin,
Matthews, Minor, Moncure, Montgomery, Madison,
Miller, Mitchell, Newson, News, Patterson, Price, Pemberton,
Peatross, Quarles, Reynolds, Redd, Richardson, Smith, Spearman,
Stevens, Sacra, Swann, Southworth, Temple, Tisdale, Terrell,

Trevilian, Tyler, Terry, Tinsley, Turner, Valentine, Wyatt,
Woolfolk, Winston, Woodson, Waddey, Wright, Yarbrough.
These names largely represent the membership of Carmel up to
the beginning of the twentieth century. In the list are all the
names of all the deacons, trustees, clerks, treasurers of the first
125 years. Nor does this list give the names of the colored members
who out-numbered the white members three to one at times.
For instance in 1809 there were 162 white and 342 colored members.
There is no record of the slightest friction between the races.

The first pastor was John Burruss who had associated with
him John Waller. This pastorate continued twenty years and
was followed by that of Dr. Andrew Broaddus who served as
pastor for thirty years. Dr. Broaddus was followed by M. L.
Jones, Rufus Chandler and Warren Woodson, in the order named.
M. L. Jones returned in 1837 and served as pastor until 1841
and was succeeded by Samuel Harris. Samuel Harris was succeeded
by the Rev. Messrs. Andrew Broaddus, James D. Coleman
and Joseph Baker in the order named. In the sketch of Baker
which appears in Taylor's Virginia Baptist Ministers it is recorded
that he left "the upper country" (Winchester) and went down
to "the lower country and assumed the pastorate of Burruss's
Church in Caroline county." Both Baker and Jones died during
their pastorates at Carmel. The Rev. Mr. Baker was succeeded in
turn by W. D. Thomas, A. M. Poindexter, Charles H. Ryland,
J. B. T. Patterson, P. B. Rennolds, E. G. Baptist, G. W. Reggan,
E. W. Winfrey, Edmund Harrison, J. T. Betts, T. R. Carr, J. W.
McCown, Hugh Goodwin, Hugh Musselman, L. D. Craddock,
L. L. Gwaltney and W. D. Bremner, W. B. Carter and G. T.
Terrell. During Mr. Ryland's pastorate the Federal troops
riddled the church inside and turned it into a slaughter pen.
A. M. Poindexter was a great orator and G. W. Reggan was a
great scholar. L. L. Gwaltney became editor of the Alabama
Baptist. The longest pastorates were those of Burruss, Waller
and Broaddus. W. D. Bremner and M. L. Jones were pastors
on two different occasions. Mr. Bremner served from 1905 to
1913 and from 1917 to 1924, when he removed to Gloucester.

The following men have been ordained to the ministry from
the membership of Carmel: Robert Tisdale, Rufus Chandler,
John M. Waddy, Archibald Dick, William I. Chiles, Thomas
H. Fox, John W. Walsh and Henry Wise Tribble.

The minutes show that in the late sixties colored deacons
were ordained, and that in 1868, "Elmore E. Taylor was granted
a license to preach the gospel to persons of his own colour."
When the building burned in 1874 the colored members erected a
church of their own. The new house had no gallery for colored
people. Practically all country churches with galleries were built
prior to the Civil War.

Carmel once owned an adjacent building, called Temperance
Hall. It was the outgrowth of a organization known as the
Temperance Society. By an irony of fate it was removed to
Ruther Glen in the seventies and used for a saloon.

In 1923 Carmel spent $5,000.00 in improvements on the
building preparatory to the celebration of the 150th anniversary
held that year. The location on the Telegraph road and at the
fork of the Milford and Chilesburg roads is very desirable and the
church prospers. The present membership is approximately 300.

CONCORD BAPTIST CHURCH

This church is situated near Dawn in the southern part of
Caroline and was organized on July 10, 1841, with the following
charter members: Albert S. Hundley, William Mallory, Edmund
C. Chiles, John Thompson, Wm. R. Peatross, Thomas Hurt,
Benjamin Hurt, Samuel C. Peatross, Andrew Long, Richard
Baughn, John T. Harris, John S. Blanton, John W. Hundley,
James F. Chiles, John Lucord, John E. Bowers, Mary J. Hundley,
Frances O. Harris, A. V. Harris, F. E. Harris, M. E. Harris,
Nancy Shipp, Parmelia Mallory, Elizabeth Burruss, Sarah P.
Peatross, Elizabeth Seay, Angelina W. Seay, Frances Peatross,
Sarah P. Kelly, Jonah Peatross, Lucy Hundley, Frances Stuart,
Jane Thompson, Elizabeth Chiles, Lucy Ann Chiles, Frances
Bowers, Lucy A. Bowers, Mary D. Peatross, Lucy Blanton,
Eliza A. Blanton, Jane E. Duval, Ann R. Peatross.

The larger part of these members came by letter from the
Reed's Baptist church. Their first pastor was the Rev. George
W. Trice. Descendants of many of the charter members still
reside in Caroline and hold membership with Concord.

The first house of worship of this congregation stood across
the road from the present site. Mr. Joseph Brame, a great
uncle of Mrs. Sarah Peatross Saunders, who united with the church
in 1855 and is still a member, donated the land and had the first
house erected at his own expense.

A Sunday school was organized in 1856 with John T. Harris
as superintendent. The report of the following year shows eight
teachers and thirty scholars. In 1858, W. C. P. Ramsey became
superintendent.

In 1842 Concord reported 74 white and 12 colored members,
in 1847 it had 114 white and 102 colored members and in 1859
there 86 white and 262 colored members. In September, 1857,
the present building was erected and dedicated. The fact that
the church constitution stated that, "The government of the
church shall be in the hands of the free white male members"
probably kept the property from passing into the hands of the
colored membership after the Civil War.

Among the church clerks from 1859 to the present time have
been: A. S. Hundley, Thomas R. Haywood, Joseph M. Seay,
Wm. T. Blank, Wm. S. Bowers, W. H. Bowers, R. N. Allen,
Wm. W. Carter and Claude Hutcheson.

Among the moderators who presided over the business meetings
of the church from 1868 to the present were: James T. Hurt,
Isaac H. Bullock, Obediah Atkinson, Aldred Blanton, W. R.
Peatross, John E. Chiles, Wm. T. Chiles, A. M. Hundley, W. B.
Garnett, Wm. C. Moore, Dr. L. C. Pollard, James Garnett, J. J.
Atkinson and Alfred E. Bowers.

John B. Gathright was chosen superintendent of the Sunday
school in 1880, George H. Saunders in 1866 and later John T.
Terrell and Samuel L. Chiles filled this office.

Rev. A. B. Smith was chosen pastor of the church in 1849,
again in 1854 and still again in 1875, serving about seven years all
told. Rev. Thos. H. Fox was chosen pastor in 1851, and served
a short time. After 1859 no records can be found of the affairs
of the church until 1866, when the church reported 67 white
members. Rev. A. R. Fox was pastor in 1867-69, then follow
the pastorates of Rev. P. B. Reynolds,; Rev. J. H. Newbill, Rev.
Geo. W. Reggan, Rev. Chas. P. Scott and Rev. J. B. Wright.
At the age of 80, Rev. Robert Ryland, D. D., first President of
Richmond College and the first Baptist Chaplain of the University
of Virginia, became pastor and served one year. Among the
later pastors of the church are Rev. Messrs. W. T. T. Noland,
W. E. Robertson, Wm. Owen Carver, Melvin A. Martin, James
Quarles, Geo. Tyler Terrell and W. D. Bremner.

Among the women who wrought in Concord church between
1850 and 1880 may be named Mesdames Mary Croughton Hurt,

Elizabeth Hurt Seay, Lucy Kidd Hundley, Sarah Hundley Kelly,
Lucy Johnson Peatross, Mary Peatross Moore, Jane Seay Duval,
Lucy Duval Martin and Miss Marie Etta Peatross.

In more recent times we find among the prominent workers
in the church Mesdames Etta Saunders Duval, Emma Dabney
Freeman, Louise Terrell Campbell, Georgianna Hill Andrews,
Mary Heywood Campbell, Mary Atkinson Barlow, Anna Young
Dimue, Ruth Bowers Martin, Margaret Pollard Bowers and
Misses Kate Garnett, Otera A. Campbell, Mabel Chiles, Gertrude
Saunders and Ruth Hutcheson.

UPPER ZION BAPTIST CHURCH

Upper Zion Baptist church, six miles northeast of Bowling

Green, was organized in 1774 and was originally known as Tuckahoe
church. The first Baptist preacher to visit the community where
the church was subsequently established was the Rev. John
Corbley who came to Virginia from Ireland. He was imprisoned
in Culpeper for preaching the Gospel and later was imprisoned in
Pennsylvania on the charge of complicity in the "Whiskey
Insurrection." He died in 1805 and his wife and children were
murdered by the Indians.

The Rev. Messrs. Lewis Craig and John Waller preached in
the vicinity of this church in 1771 and 1772. It was here that a
warrant was issued for the arrest of Mr. Craig on the charge of
preaching the Gospel without proper ordination. He was carried
before a magistrate to whom he gave bond not to preach in the

county within a certain number of days, but reconsidering what
he had done and feeling the injustice of the measure, he decided
to violate his bond and incur the penalty. Accordingly he
preached for some time on Reuben Catlett's plantation for which
he was again arrested and committed to jail in Bowling Green
where he remained for three months. He found in the jail
Edward Herndon and B. Chewning who had been committed on
the same charge, but being "exhorters" only they were soon
released. In 1773 James Ware and James Pitman were imprisoned

Rev. William A. Baynham

sixteen days each for having preached in their houses.
They offered to give bond for their good behavior, but not for
preaching in their houses in particular, which offer was at first
refused and acceded to afterward. It is recorded in Semple's
History of Baptists in Virginia that when Waller and Craig were
imprisoned in Fredericksburg the minister of the established
church, who had preached a sermon in Caroline against the
Baptists, paid them a visit, conversed with them on religion and
on taking leave of them, offered to be their security if they chose
to give bond. In 1775 the Rev. Younger Pitts and his companion,
one Mr. Pickett, were arrested and threatened with being brought
before a magistrate, but after some abuse were released.

In 1819 the name of the church was changed from Tuckahoe

to Upper Zion. The Rev. Messrs. John Shackleford, John
Sorrel, John Micou, Mordecai W. Broaddus, Robert W. Cole,
George W. Trice, William A. Baynham, A. J. Ramsey, Andrew
W. Broaddus, II, R. L. Gay, E. M. Dowley, John Pollard, J. M.
McManaway, R. E. Vellines and L. M. Ritter have served this
church in a pastoral capacity.

Among the deacons of Upper Zion in former years may be
named Younger Martin, George Marshall, Sr., John Cherbury
Gravatt, Dr. Lunsford, Thomas Broaddus, James H. Broaddus,
James U. Carneal, Philip H. Carter, Andrew J. Gravatt, William
L. Andrews, John F. Wright and Thomas J. Motley.

More recently and of the present day may be named Deacons
Luther B. Brooks, Calvin N. Houston, A. F. Wright, R. H.
Eager, M. H. Jones, T. J. Carter, D. L. Cook, J. W. Guerrant
and Andrew B. Marshall.

Among the Clerks of the church may be named Robert S.
Wright, Sr., George W. Marshall, Sr., Robert S. Wright, Jr.,
George W. Marshall, Jr., Benj. F. Smoot, Sr., G. H. Pitts, J. C.
Sale and A. B. Marshall.

SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH

Salem Baptist church which is located at Sparta, about ten
miles east of Bowling Green, was formed from Upper King and
Queen church in 1802. The "Great Revival" which spread over
Virginia in 1788 stirred Tuckahoe and Upper King and Queen
churches mightily, causing these two congregations to meet
upon the site of old Salem church, which was half-way ground,
under an arbor in a great series of revival meetings. These
meetings were attended by multitudes and great numbers were
baptized, most of whom united with Upper King and Queen
church, then under the pastoral care of the Rev. Theodrick Noel.
The arbor, which had been the scence of the remarkable revival,
continued to be a regular preaching point, served largely by
Rev. Mr. Noel, and many citizens of the community came into
the church under his preaching. The large number of Baptists
living in the community, who found it inconvenient to attend
Upper King and Queen and Tuckahoe churches, made the establishment
of new congregation necessary, hence Salem church
was constituted on July 10, 1802.

The first house of worship erected by this new congregation
was a frame building without ceiling of any kind and was situated

Andrew Broaddus I.

Andrew Broaddus II.

Andrew Broaddus III.

Salem Church at Sparta

in Caroline about six miles from the spot where the present
Salem church stands. A second house was erected on the same
site which was used until the erection of the splendid brick structure
which now stands in the village of Sparta.

The first pastor of Salem was the Rev. Mr. Noel through whose
efforts the church had come into being. After the resignation of
Mr. Noel, in 1809, the church was served by the Rev. Messrs.
John Sorrel and Spilsby Woolfolk, both natives of Caroline
county. Following the pastorate of Mr. Woolfolk there began a
series of the most remarkable pastorates in the history of the
Baptist church, if not the most remarkable in the history of
Christendom. The Rev. Andrew Broaddus, whose biography
appears elsewhere in this chapter, who had been born and brought
up in the vicinity of the church was called to the pastorate of
Salem in 1820 and accepting he served the church for twenty-eight
years. Immediately upon his death his son, Rev. Andrew
Broaddus II, became pastor and served continuously for forty-eight
years, retiring December 31, 1896 on account of failing
health. Immediately upon his retirement his son, Rev. Andrew
Broaddus III, entered upon the pastorate of this church and
continues in that capacity to this day.

Salem church has given many of her sons to the Gospel
ministry, among whom may be mentioned the Rev. Messrs.
John Sorrel, Spilsby Woolfolk, Andrew Broaddus I, Andrew
Broaddus II, Andrew Broaddus III, Julian Broaddus, Luther
Broaddus, Maurice Broaddus, Mordecai W. Broaddus, Henry G.
Segar, Albert Anderson, Robert W. Cole and Joseph W. Atkinson.

COUNTY LINE CHURCH

This church, organized in 1784, is situated near the dividing
line between Caroline and Spotsylvania counties, the house of
worship being in Caroline about one-half mile from Chilesburg
and about three miles from the North Anna River. The site
of the original house of worship was about one mile from the
present house and nearer the Spotsylvania line. This congregation
was constituted by those who withdrew from Waller's church
at the time Waller's was excluded from the Association on account
of the Arminian tendencies of the pastor, Rev. John Waller.
When Mr. Waller was reinstated in the Association, County
Line church was received also.

Probably no man of his time contributed more to the establishment
and growth of the Baptist church in Virginia than John
Waller. He was born in Spotsylvania in 1741 and was noted in
his early life for his recklessness and profanity. His nicknames
were "Swearing Jack" and "Devil's Adjutant." He was one of
the jury that punished Rev. Lewis Craig for preaching. He was
remarkably converted in 1767 and was baptized by Rev. James
Read. A church was constituted and committed to his pastoral
care in 1769, subsequently becoming known as "Waller's church,"
and being one of nine which he planted within the Goshen
Association. He removed to Abbeville, S. C., in 1793 and died
there in 1802.

William Edmund Waller, brother of John, was the first pastor
of County Line church. He removed to Kentucky in 1784 and
was succeeded by Absalom Waller.

In 1841 the old church property near the Caroline-Spotsylvania
line was sold to the Rehoboth Methodist church and County
Line moved to its present location. The church house was
rebuilt in 1894 on the opposite of the road in a grove of fifteen
acres. The site across the road was taken for a cemetery.

The following pastors have served this congregation: John
Waller, Wm. Edmund Waller, 1784; A. M. Lewis, 1829; J. A.
Billingsley, 1831; W. R. Powell, 1837; J. M. Roane, 1866; L. W.
Allen, 1866; C. B. Dickenson, 1872; J. L. Lawless, 1881; J. T.
Dickenson, 1886; T. R. Corr, 1890; E. G. Baptist, 1894; J. S.
Ryland, 1896; E. W. Robinson, 1924.

The following Clerks have served County Line: Fleming Terrell,
1829; Thomas D. Smith, 1831; Genett Anderson, 1833; John K.
Luck, 1842; W. D. Waller, 1866; A. G. Smith, 1886. Captain
Cornelius T. Smith, who represented Caroline in the Legislature,
and who served the county as treasurer for many years, has been
very active in this church and for many years moderator of the
Association of which the church is a part.

BOWLING GREEN BAPTIST CHURCH

This church, located on Main Street of Bowling Green, was
constituted September 18, 1878, with a membership of thirty-nine,
of whom twenty-two were men and seventeen were women.
The church was admitted into the Goshen Association in 1879
and in 1902 regularly withdrew with other churches to form a new
association, now known as the Hermon.

For about three years after its organization this church was
regularly supplied by various ministers, among them being Dr.
A. E. Dickinson, Rev. George W. Reggan, Dr. A. B. Dunaway
and Professor John Hart.

The following ministers have served the church as pastors:
Rev. J. L. Lawless, April, 1881, to February, 1884; Rev. Dr.
Andrew Broaddus, April, 1885, to January, 1893; Rev. R. L.
Gay, April, 1893, to 1898; Rev. E. M. Dowley, 1899 to 1901;
Rev. Dr. John Pollard, July, 1901, to October, 1904; Rev. Dr.

J. M. McManaway, January, 1905, to January, 1910; Rev. R. E.
Vellines, November, 1910, to January, 1915; Rev. L. M. Ritter,
October, 1915, to present.

The present house of worship, a picture of which appears herein,
was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, 1899. The Rev. J. B. Hawthorne
preached the dedicatory sermon. The church owns a
comfortable parsonage adjoining the church grounds.

The present officiary of the church is as follows: Pastor, Rev.
L. M. Ritter. Deacons: Dr. E. E. Butler, O. P. Smoot, E. G.
Smoot, M. G. Garrett, C. R. Dickinson, R. B. Broaddus and
Col. R. L. Beale. Trustees: Dr. R. T. Glassell, C. R. Dickinson,
Dr. C. S. Webb, M. G. Garrett and L. D. Vincent. Treasurer, H.
D. McWhirt; Mission Treasurer, George Dorsey; Auditor, Arthur
H. Allen.

MT. HOREB BAPTIST CHURCH

Mt. Horeb church was organized as Reed's church in 1773
by Elders Samuel Harris and R. Ford. John Young was then
ordained elder and installed as pastor of this congregation and
continued to serve in this capacity until his removal to Amherst
in 1799. During his ministry at Reed's church he was imprisoned
for six months in the county jail for preaching. He baptized
seventy persons while pastor of Reed's. Upon the retirement of
Elder Young, John Selph was ordained elder and set over the
congregation as pastor. Thos. Kidd and Wm. Kelley were
ordained deacons and Wm. Rawlins clerk.

After a lapse of years Joel Mason, Chas. Atkinson and Joseph
Norment were ordained deacons and in 1835 John D. Hargrave
and Wm. Mason were added to these. The church was served
by Elders Selph, Woolfolk and Hatchett until 1834 when Geo.
W. Trice became pastor and J. D. Hargrave clerk. From 1834
to 1839 there were twenty-seven white persons added to the
membership.

In September, 1839, a series of revival meetings was held in
which Elders M. W. Broaddus, Henry Segar, George W. Trice,
Andrew Broaddus, and Philip Taliaferro of the Baptist church
were assisted by two Methodist ministers with the result that
about one hundred persons dedicated their lives to Christ, sixty
of whom were baptized.

In the year 1840 the church decided to build a brick meeting
house on the old site. The contract was let to Joseph Norment
for the sum of $1,093.00. Shortly after this action another
meeting was held near Concord and by another vote the building
enterprise was defeated.

In April, 1840, W. M. Mason was elected clerk to succeed
J. D. Hargrave. In June of the same year the members of
Reed's church living near Concord desiring to organize themselves
into a separate and distinct congregation were given permission
to do so in a resolution which commended them to God and the
Word of His grace. Elder Trice resigned the pastorate of Reed's
in 1842 and was succeeded by Elder Cole who served the church
two years after, which Elder Trice was chosen pastor for the
second time. Mr. Ed. West was ordained deacon in 1842.

At a meeting of Reed's church in April, 1845 the weak state
of the church was discussed and the matter of disbanding was

put forward for consideration until the next monthly meeting.
In May, after one month's deliberation, the church came together
and decided to disband and unite with neighboring church, but
after a short period, becoming dissatisfied with this decision,
rescinded their action and engaged Elder Hatchett to serve as
pastor.

In September following the church was reorganized and Thos.
Woolard and Winston Atkinson were ordained deacons by Elders
Hatchett and Trice. Elder Hatchett resigned as pastor in 1847
and the congregation was pastorless until 1850 when Elder J. W.
Atkinson was engaged to serve in this capacity. He died in 1851.

In 1851 the erection of a meeting house on a site more conveniently
situated to the members was proposed and a committee,
composed of W. M. Mason, Winston Atkinson and J. R.
Mason, was appointed to dispose of the old property and to take
such measures for the procuring of a new house as they might
deem best. Owing to a defect in the deed to the old property
it could not be sold and the church decided to build without this
assistance. J. R. Mason gave one acre of land on which to
build and agreed to erect the house for $800.00. The house was
built and dedicated on Friday, September 30, 1853. Dr. R. B. C.
Howell preached the dedicatory sermon. The name was changed
from Reed's church to Mt. Horeb and Elder A. Eubank chosen
as pastor. He resigned in 1854 to continue his studies in the
University of Virginia and Elder R. W. Cole was chosen pastor
with R. A. Fox as co-pastor.

On the second Sunday of November 1860, J. E. West and Wm.
Young were ordained deacons by Elders Cole and Fox. In March
1863, Elder Cole resigned and was succeeded by R. A. Fox.
Obedian Atkinson, C. A. Shuman and Wm. T. Taliaferro were
ordained deacons in 1866 and W. R. Peatross and L. M. Hart
in 1867. R. A. Fox resigned as pastor in 1869 and was succeeded
by Elder J. W. Hart. During the pastorate of R. W. Cole,
1854-1863, forty-one white and one hundred and fifteen colored
persons were added to the membership; during that of R. A.
Fox, 1863-69, fifty-seven whites and five colored and during that of
J. W. Hart, 1869-72, eighty-six whites were added. The colored
members of this church, at their own request, were given letters
and constituted themselves into a church, known as Mt. Tabor,
on January 20, 1872. The pastor and deacons of Mt. Horeb
officiated at the organization.

In 1869 a mission Sunday school was established by Mt.
Horeb at Shumansville with a view to establishing a church
there. Mr. C. A. Shuman was made superintendent. On July
13, 1872, twenty-seven members of Mt. Horeb were given letters
for the purpose of entering upon the formation of a new church.
Upon the constitution of the new church Mr. E. Trice was made
deacon. A building was erected near Oakley, the site of the
mission Sunday school, and was dedicated on September 22, 1872,
by Rev. Andrew Broaddus and Rev. N. Short.

Mt. Horeb celebrated its centennial April 13, 1873 and its
one hundred and fiftieth anniversary in 1923. On the former
occasion Rev. A. H. Sands preached the sermon and on the
latter occasion sermons and addresses were delivered by Rev.
Messrs. W. E. Warren, L. M. Ritter, Tyler Terrell and Andrew
Broaddus III.

Pastor J. W. Hart resigned in 1873 and was succeeded by Rev.
Wm. E. Talley. Richard Baughan was made clerk in 1874
and Messrs. J. W. Young, W. Long and M. W. Head were made
deacons in 1877. Mr. W. M. Mason was ordained to the ministry
in 1877, Rev. Messrs. A. B. Smith, H. Satterwhite and J. O. Turpin
acting as presbytery.

The pastoral succession in Horeb church from the time of
Rev. J. W. Hart is as follows: Rev. W. E. Talley, 1877-78; Rev.
S. U. Grimsley, 1878-80; Rev. A. W. Graves, 1881-83; Rev. A. C.
Pugh, 1884; Rev. Mr. Noland, 1885-87; Rev. J. J. Wicker, 188990;
Rev. R. L. Gay, 1890; Rev. W. O. Carner, 1891; Rev. H. H.
Street, 1892-93; Rev. J. W. Hart, 1893-95; Rev. W. C. Foster,
1895-96; Rev. H. T. Musselman, 1896-98; Rev. H. A. Willis,
1898-03; Rev. J. C. Quarles, 1903-04; Rev. J. F. Billingsley,
1905-10; Rev. W. B. Carter, 1911-13; Rev. G. Tyler Terrell,
1913-17; Rev. George Donahoe, 1917-19; Rev. W. D. Bremner,
1920-21, and Rev. W. E. Warren, 1922.

The present building of Mt. Horeb church was dedicated on
December 23, 1890, by Dr. Wm. E. Hatcher, of Richmond, assisted
by Rev. Messrs. R. L. Gay, W. O. Carter and Andrew Broaddus,
III.

GUINEY'S BRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH

Guiney's Bridge church was organized about 1783 and named
for a bridge over the Mattaponi near Guiney. The house of
worship stood near the place which was later made historic by

the death of Stonewall Jackson. The first pastor of this church
was one Rev. Mr. Holloway. Upon his removal to Halifax
county the congregation was served by the Rev. John Waller
and Rev. Absalom Waller in succession. About 1840 this
church disbanded, its members going into Round Oak church.
R. B. Semple, in his History of Virginia Baptists, relates that at
Guiney's Bridge church several preachers were arrested on a
warrant from a magistrate on the charge of preaching without
proper authority. Among these were Rev. Joseph Craig, brother
of the Rev. Messrs. Lewis and Elijah Craig. On their way to
the magistrate Mr. Craig, thinking it no dishonor to cheat
injustice, slipped from his horse and escaped in the swamps.
The officers, says Mr. Semple, hunted him with dogs, but he was
not apprehended.

LIBERTY BAPTIST CHURCH

Liberty church appears for the first time in the minutes of
the Goshen Association in 1813 where it is recorded as a new
church. Its pastor, Rev. Hipkins Pittman and P. Merriman,
were its messengers and these with R. Long, Reuben Rose, Charles
Taliaferro and Stanfield Jones represented it until 1822, at which
time the church reported 123 members.

From 1822 to 1827 the church was pastorless. Lawrence
Battaile became pastor in 1827, although the church did not "set
him apart for the ministry" until 1830.

In 1832 Liberty reported 277 members, two Sunday schools
and "a large Temperance Society still gaining ground." In
1833 the church "recommended that each member furnish a
bench for the people of colour." In 1834 Woolfolk Estes, "who
had moved to the Western country," was succeeded as clerk by
Richard Buckner, Sr., and he in turn was succeeded two years
later by R. H. Washington Buckner. In 1836 Charles A. Lewis
"was set apart to the work of an evangelist" and in 1837 Thomas
Royster was chosen deacon.

Fifteen members were dismissed in 1840 "for the purpose of
constituting a church at Round Oak" and among the number
was the treasurer, Robert Jesse, in whose place W. Bates was
chosen.

In 1847 when "The Test" was an issue in this section the
church passed resolutions condemning the making and selling
of liquor, but by a majority of one vote refused to make compliance

with this sentiment a test of church membership, whereupon
36 of the members who believed in "The Test" withdrew
and organized Bethesda church, carrying with them the clerk,
Addison L. Long and the pastor, Rev. Lawrence Battaile, who
had served Liberty nearly twenty years. Aaron Thornley was
then elected clerk and Rev. George W. Trice pastor. Mr. Trice
served the church until his death in 1867.

In 1848, R. H. Washington Buckner was ordained to the
ministry and George B. Samuels became clerk. He was followed
by Charles T. Jesse in 1854, A. H. Conway in 1867 and S.
Fitzhugh in 1878.

The church reached its largest numerical strength in 1861,
reporting 163 white and 546 colored members. In 1867 letters
were granted the colored members who wished to organize a
church of their own, leaving a white membership of 181.

Rev. James D. Coleman died in 1878 after serving the church
for ten years. His successors in the pastorate have been the
Rev. Messrs. A. B. Dunaway, A. G. Loving, C. W. Trainham,
J. W. McCown, J. T. Eubank and S. B. Overton. The present
(1924) clerk is W. H. Collawn, of New London, Caroline county.
The foregoing facts were obtained for the author from the old
records by Dr. Garnett Ryland of the University of Richmond.

BETHESDA BAPTIST CHURCH

This church was formed in 1847 by members of Liberty
church who were defeated in their advocacy of a measure,
"prohibiting the manufacture and sale of ardent spirits for ordinary
use by members of the church on pain of excommunication."

The organization was effected in May, 1847. On this occasion
Rev. Edward Kingsford delivered the sermon from a text in
the book of Numbers, "Lo, the people shall dwell alone and
shall not be reckoned among the nations." Rev. R. W. Cole
delivered the charge to the church and Rev. Andrew Broaddus,
II, gave the hand of fellowship. The charter members were:
Samuel Battaile, John Gouldin, Samuel Coghill, John Rose,
James F. Gouldin, Thomas I. West, Addison L. Long, Henry A.
Jones, Thomas W. Gouldin, John Massey, Aaron Thornley,
William Collawn, Ann Coghill, Lucy A. Roane, Ann Shaddock,
Louisa Gouldin, Ann Rose, Mary Farish, Clementine Farish,
Sarah Collawn, Frances A. Goodloe and Lettie W. Long.

Bethesda adopted as one of its fundamental laws that "No
member of this Church will be permitted to manufacture, sell,
use, or furnish to his guests, or labourers, intoxicating liquor as
a beverage."

The church has had eleven pastors as follows: Lawrence
Battaile, 1847-52; Andrew Broaddus, II, 1853-58; James D.
Coleman, 1859-78; A. B. Dunaway, 1879-86; A. G. Loving, 188789;
C. W. Trainham, 1890-93; J. W. McCown, 1894-95; J. T.
Eubank, 1895-03; James Long, 1904-05; B. C. Jones, 1906-10;
Rev. Norman Luck, 1911. Rev. B. C. Jones was ordained to the
ministry by this church upon accepting the pastorate. The
Rev. Messrs. T. S. Dunaway, Ryland Knight, E. L. Grace and
Andrew Broaddus III, officiated on this occasion.

The first deacons of Bethesda were Dr. T. W. Gouldin and
A. L. Long. Dr. Gouldin was Sunday school superintendent
for many years. Among the early deacons and prominent members
may be named, Wm. I. Broaddus, Wm. A. Collawn, Benj.
F. Kidd, John Gouldin, Thos. R. Dew, K. R. Farish, Lewis
Gouldin, John Lefoe, Wm. R. Sale, Judson J. Sale and John W.
Broaddus. R. H. W. Buckner was a very useful and conspicuous
member and often occupied the pulpit. He was at one time
employed by Round Oak, Liberty and Bethesda churches
to hold special services for the instruction of the colored members.
Dr. R. G. Holloway and David T. Bullock were leading members
from the beginning and later deacons Anthony J. Sale and James
Bullock were prominent in the church. Bethesda prospers and
now has 180 members.

CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH

This church, located on Milford Street in Bowling Green, was
constituted on June 6, 1897, upon the advice of W. E. Hatcher,
T. S. Dunaway, L. R. Thornhill, L. J. Haley, J. B. Winston,
S. J. Quinn and C. T. Smith, who had been called to confer with
a number of persons not then in fellowship with the Bowling
Green Baptist church on account of conflicting sentiments regarding
the pastor of the Bowling Green church.

The charter members were: W. W. Rains, Webb Rains, D. W.
Beazley, Mrs. Lizzie Beazley, Mrs. Rebecca J. Collins, Miss
Floyd Smith, R. M. Gray, Gus Throm, W. G. Coghill, Mrs.
Lou Coghill, Miss Bessie Coghill, Harry Coghill, Mrs. C. J.

Wright, J. L. Jordan, James R. Collins, Mrs. Louisa Jordan,
Mrs. Fanny S. Campbell, Miss Emma S. Campbell, E. B. Kay,
John Selph, Milton Selph, Callie Selph, Miss Addie Irby, Mrs.
Fanny Irby Moncure, Mrs. Molly R. Coghill, Miss Blanche
Coghill, Miss Mary Dallas Coghill, A. P. Gouldman, Mrs. M. E.
Gouldman, Miss Henrietta Gouldman, Miss Sue Gouldman, Miss
Virginia Byrd Todd, Miss Sallie Bullard, Miss Mattie Throm,
Clem Jordan, Mrs. Kate S. Broaddus, Miss Annie W. Broaddus,
Miss May M. Broaddus, Miss Caroline Broaddus, Mrs. Lucy
Moncure Gill, T. B. Gill, Mrs. Annie B. Wright, R. S. Wright,
Jr., Charles H. Wright, Miss Ethel Wright, Robert A. Coghill,
K. R. Farish, Cecil Farish, Lewis Farish, Mrs. Fanny Taliaferro,
Mrs. Sallie Pollard, R. S. Wright, E. C. Moncure, T. D. Coghill,
Dr. W. L. Broaddus and Geo. R. Collins.

Dr. W. L. Broaddus and Judge E. C. Moncure were the
first deacons and R. S. Wright was the first clerk. G. R. Collins
and John Selph were added to the diaconate a few weeks after
organization. Judge Moncure and Major T. D. Coghill were
appointed the first trustees. The church was unanimously
received into the Goshen Association, at New Hope church in
Spotsylvania in the year of its organization, despite the opposition
of the pastor over whom the division had occurred. A
lot was purchased from C. L. Bullard in 1898 and a substantial
building erected thereon and dedicated on June 16, 1899. Dr.
W. E. Hatcher preached the dedicatory sermon. Dr. J. W. McCown
became the first pastor and served until 1901 when he was
succeeded by Rev. H. L. Quarles. Mr. Quarles was succeeded
by Rev. C. R. Cruikshank, of Singer's Glen, Va., who served
until 1912. Rev. S. B. Overton served from 1912 to 1923.

The clerks of Calvary church have been as follows: R. S.
Wright, J. R. Collins, K. R. Farish, R. A. Coghill and E. A.
White. The following have served as deacons: Dr. W. L.
Broaddus, Judge E. C. Moncure, G. R. Collins, John Selph,
William B. Broaddus, J. J. Wright, W. G. Coghill, W. W. Green,
J. W. Beazley. The church has had only two treasurers—namely,
W. W. Rains and R. A. Coghill. Major T. D. Coghill, Judge
Moncure, Joseph Baker and H. B. Smithers have served as
trustees.

Calvary church has a membership of nearly two hundred and
is a vital religious force in the community.

PROVIDENCE CHURCH

Providence Baptist church which is located four miles east
of the county seat of Caroline was founded in 1837. The late
Dr. George W. Beale in his Historical Sermon before the Baptist
General Association in 1898 said: "The earliest Sunday school
of which we have any knowledge in Virginia was gathered where
Providence church in Caroline later built its meeting house."

ROUND OAK BAPTIST CHURCH

Mrs. Robert Gordon, of "Santee',' relates that John Battaile,
of "Belle Park" had one son who wanted to go to Africa as a
missionary. In order to keep the son at home Mr. Battaile
volunteered to build him a church on the estate and thus gratify
his desire to do missionary work among the negroes. The chapel
was erected and the work flourished until there were many white
persons interested in and connected with it. Grace Episcopal
church nearby engaged the services of one Rev. Mr. Walls, who
was considered an "high churchman," and on this account many
white persons adhered to the mission. These constituted Round
Oak Baptist church about 1840. Lawrence Battaile became the
first pastor of this church and was succeeded in turn by the Rev.
Messrs. Trice, James D. Coleman, A. B. Dunaway, A. B. Loving
and J. W. Reynolds. The last named has served the church
for thirty-three years.

Round Oak church, prior to the Civil War and for some time
afterward, had a large colored membership and it is probable
that this church has done more for the negroes than any other
church in the county. For many years Round Oak co-operated
with Liberty church in employing R. H. W. Buckner to preach
for the colored people. It is interesting to note that the church
at its regular monthly meetings always appointed four of the
officers to attend the Buckner meetings.

Robert Jesse, Richard Pittman, K. Rowe, Wm. Farish, Hyter
Farish, Joseph Skinner, Henry Skinner were among the charter
members.

The clerks of Round Oak have been as follows: ——
Marshall, W. H. Farish, James Rowe, James M. Dillard, Arthur
Skinner and W. H. Purks. Thus it will be seen that this church
has had only six pastors and six clerks in its long history.

The present deacons of Round Oak are: W. H. Purks, Wm.
Hayden, J. B. Flippo and James M. Dillard.

Among the leading families in the church may be named
the Yates, Purks, Flippo, Skinner, Sale, Cash, Denson, Dillard,
Thomas, Brown and Jones families.

John Goodwin organized the first Sunday school in Round
Oak church and drafted the rules for the government of the
same.

The main building was erected in 1852 at a cost of $2,250
and the wings were added in 1915 at a cost of $4,000. The
cornerstone was laid by the Masonic Lodge at Fredericksburg.
The splendid brick structure, although erected at low cost, is
one of the best in the county. The church is located at Corbin,
in the northern end of the county and is only a few hundred
yards from Grace church.